The final of the Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup marked the end of major open race competitions for 2023. So how did it compare with the previous year?
Overall, it has been a good year with with *56 Category One events staged.
(*The GBGB Calendar suggests there were 57 but includes the £5K RPGTV Juvenile – yet excludes the £10K Jenningsbet Select Stakes. Technically, both are invitation races.)
The additional events include the return of the £9,000 Bresbet Gymcrack at Kinsley, Sheffield’s inaugural £15,000 Steel City Puppy Cup plus four events at Oxford, the £10,000 WKH Development Diamond Stakes, the £10,000 Star Sports Galazy Marathon, the £10,000 BGBF Puppy Cup and the £20,000 Stadium Bookmakers Pall Mall. The George Ing Leger wasn’t staged but the ARC Silver Salver was upgraded from a Cat 2.
The bulk of the ‘Cat Ones’ were worth £10,000 to the winner. Exceptions included the races mentioned above plus the £15K East Anglian Derby and TV Trophy and the £175K Star Sports/TRC English Derby. There were also nine £20K-to-winner Premier Greyhound Racing events, the same as the previous year.
In addition, ALL the ARC sponsored Cat 1 races had an additional £2,500 added to the winners prize and their Cat 2 winner’s prizes doubled to £6,000 – the exception being the Scurry which was already £5K to the winner.
There are 57 Cat One events scheduled for 2024.
Emily Wallis
Emily Wallis kennel hand to father Mark is an integral part of the team at Imperial kennels. Emily kindly provides some excellent insight in the latest segment of our greyhounds to follow for 2024 feature.
Remembering 2023 – October
- Following the announcement that the incorrect greyhound contested a race at Swindon, GBGB issue the following statement. “On the evidence collated and received by the GBGB relating to the race at Swindon Stadium, two professional greyhound trainers have been temporarily warned off pending further investigation”. Nottingham void a race following a ‘wrong dog’ issue a few days later.
- The MWD Partnership issue a statement in relation to the departure from the kennels of Gougane Jet.
- “If the pup is doing something wrong, don’t let it become a habit. Get him away from that environment as soon as possible’” Experienced handler Dave Pruhs offers some advice to owners of young dogs in a Breeding Ground article about schooling.
- One time Derby favourite Fromposttopillar – a winner of four Cat One events – breaks a hock in the opening round of the PCR Kent Derby and is retired to stud.
- An article in the Daily mail reveals the 74% of RSPCA donations are swallowed up in ‘expenses’.
- Carly Philpott and Peter Broadbridge are unveiled as the GBGB’s latest stipendiary stewards
- Swift Iconic – the dog that several internet trolls and RPGTV viewers wanted disqualified, lands the Bresbet Steel City Cup.
- PGR Chairman Lord Lipsey makes a connection between Government plans for affordability checks and its potential damage to greyhound welfare.
- Derek Knight reflects on almost six decades in the industry following Hollow Man’s win in the PGR Champion Stakes Final at Romford.
- The Editor considers the successful appeal by Mark Wallis following the Greyhound Regulatory Board’s attempt to see him warned off for administering an incorrect dose of non-prescription tonic.
- Greyhound re-homer Kevin Stow assesses the current situation and calls for more innovation when retiring greyhounds from GBGB.
- Matt Dartnall lands what will be his final Category One final – the RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar – and announces his retirement as a trainer
- In a brilliant year for British breds, Carol Weatherall’s No Rush – a bitch whose conception was dictated by Covid lockdown – lands the £20K PGR Oaks
- Plans are approved for ‘the new Perry Barr’ at Wolverhampton Racecourse
- With Churchfield Syd landing the PGR Kent Derby, trainer Richard Rees reveals some life motivational advice from his grandfather.
